Sylvania



(No Model.)

S. WILLIAMS & H. M. HAMRIGK.

ELECTRIC BATTERY. I No. 554,043. Patented Feb; 4, 18 96.

WITNESSES: V INVENTQRS, g 2 %w c 0M 2.01% 4 I I 1" NMW TLhHM Z7622 ZOM/ 1544 MW UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DAVID S. \VILLIAMS AND HARRY M. IIAMRICK, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENN- SYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO THE NORTH AMERICAN ELECTRIC STORAGE COMPANY, OF SAME PLACE.

ELECTRIC BATTERY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 554,043, dated February 4, 1896.

Application filed May 15, 1896. Serial No. 549,376. (No model.)

T0 at whom it may concern:

Be it known that We, DAVID S. \VILLIAMS and HARRY M. HAMRICK, citizens of the United States, residing at the city of Philadelphia, in the county of Philadelphia and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Batteries; and we do declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the ac companying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

Our invention relates to certain improve ments in electric batteries, and has for its objects the production of a battery of high efficiency, of simple construction, and one in which compensation for expansion and contraction is fully attained.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a sectional elevation on the line 1 1 of Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is a sectional plan view of same. Fig. 3 is a detached perspective view of the zinc electrode. Fig. 4 is a similar view of one of the blocks of high oxide forming the other electrode. Fig. 5 is a similar View of the series of conducting-plates by which the blocks of high oxide are supported. Fig. 6 is a similar view of the central supporting-rod used for securing the sections of the oxide electrode together, and Fig. 7 is an elevation illustrating a modified construction of the supporting-plates forholding the blocks of oxide.

Referring to the drawings, A represents a cylindrical vessel or jar of glass or similar nonconductingmaterial, having an upper end, in which fits a cover B, also of non-conducting material,such as wood, glass, hard rubber, or Duranoid, preferably the latter. One of these electrodes is a composite structure, being formed of a series of perforated blocks O of active material, preferably peroxide of lead, alternating lead, or other plates D of conducting material, each block and plate having a series of perforations o to permit the circulation of the electrolyte and a central opening 0 for the passage of the supporting-rod II, formed, preferably, of lead and having a lower head, 71 on which rests the disk K of non-conducting material, such as hard rubber, wood, glass, or other non-conductor. The various sections of this electrode are supported below by this disk and held in position by the rod II, the upper end of the latter being secured to the cover B and having a connecting-post 1)..

Each of the plates D is connected by a flexible strip (1 to a conducting-stripd, the upper end of which is secured to the cenral rod II or otherwise suitably connected to the outside circuit.

In practice it is found that as the blocks 0 of high metallic oxide yield up their oxygen the blocks shrink and contract somewhat, and as this would tend to impair the contact of the blocks with the plates D a ring I of elastic material, preferably rubber, is placed between the cover and the upper of the sections of the electrode and acts to keep the plates and blocks in close contact. As the plates D are moved by the rubber ring I the flexible connections cl also yield, and there is no danger of breaking any of the connections from this movement. As shown in Fig. 5, the plates D, the conducting-strip d, and the various connecting-strips cl maybe all cast or formed in one piece, and thisis the preferred construction, or they may be made separately and soldered or otherwise secured together.

If desired, the plates may be arranged as shown in Fig. 7 the plates D, which carry the blocks, being made in pairs and each pair of plates being separately connected to the conducting-strip d.

The electrode G is formed from a sheet of zinc, bent so as to form a partial cylinder, the edges of the sheet, however, being spaced for a distance sufficient to permit the passage of the conducting-strip d. This electrode has an upper post, g, and at its lower end fits into an annular well or chamber .2, formed by raising the central portion of the bottom of the jar A.

Having now described our invention, what we claim, and desire to secure by Letters Pat cut, is-

1. In an electric battery, the combination with a zinc electrode, of an electrode composed In an electric battery, an element, or electrode comprising a eoml'ncting-frame I), (Z (1 formed integral, a series of independent blocks of active material C, disposed between and resting upon the shelves D, of said frame, a central supporting-rod II, and compressing and compensating spring I.

In testimony whereof we aflix onr signatures in presence of two witnesses.

DAVID \VILLIAMS. HARRY M. IIAMRIC K. Witnesses:

GEo. W. REED, CHAS. O. COLLIER. 

